I was working on an English Paper Piecing project recently and faced a common challenge:
Joining all the pieces together without letting the stitches show on the front. I tried several backstitch techniques, but needed a clean, polished look.
After several failed tries, I tried a flat back stitch, which worked perfectly. Let me show you how-
Apply a thin glue line along the edge of your piece with glue sticks. It avoids the areas where you want to backstitch. This will make doing flat back stitch easy.
Less is better! Start small; you can always add more. Remember, you can’t remove excess glue once applied. Allow the glue to dry slightly before positioning your pieces.
Align all Palette sizes together exactly how you want them to sew together.
You can secure the pieces in 2 ways:
- Option 1: Use a small piece of tape to hold them in place.
- Option 2: Use Clover Clips to keep them steady.
For now, I’m using tape to hold them together.
Now, I thread my needle with an 18-inch Aurifil thread to make it fit the flat back stitch. However, the thread size may vary on your needs.
Just because I chose Aurifil, you have to. Other threads for EPP also exist, such as Wonderfil, Gütermann, Coats & Clark. Choose whichever suits your needs. But the aurifill thread is perfect for flat back stitch epp.
Insert your needle at the edge of the fabric (not through the paper template). Stitch along the back. Ensures your needle catches only the fabric edges. Avoid tugging too tightly to prevent puckering.
Push back the needle through the other piece of shape. These steps make the flat back stitching perfect.
Take 2 or 3 tiny stitches at a time for a secure hold, as a single stitch might snag the fabric or paper.
Remove the tape as you sew, replacing it with Clover Clips if needed. Work up the seam using a whipstitch-like motion, but only along the back. Keep repeating the rhythm until the end.
end.
So yes, that’s How to do the flatback stitch.
Don’t worry if your stitches feel wobbly at first practice makes perfect. The beauty of the flat back stitch? Even slightly wonky stitches stay invisible on the front of the topstitching and front stitch.
It every placing stitches close to the edge of the fabric, ensuring they “lay flat” against the piece. That’s What does flat back stitch mean? It sure is a vary handy stitch. I often use it whenever I want to joint something.
You can use it too, and I’m sure it won’t disappoint you.
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